Steel trap.



No. 794,684. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. D. RUPP.

STEEL TRAP.

, APPL-IOATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1904.

amount NITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL RUPP, OF WESTPOINT, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN H.LINDALE', OF VVESTPOINT NEBRASKA.

STEEL TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,684, dated July 11,1905.

Application filed September 12, 1904. Serial No. 224,149.

To ctZZ whom it nt/Ly concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL RUPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Westoint, in the county of Ouming and State of ebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Steel Traps; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in traps for catchingminks, beavers, muskrats, and other fur-bearing animals which frequentthe water, and which traps comprise a pair of jaws which are held inopen or set position by a means which includes a bait-pan, the partsbeing so related that when said bait-pan is depressed the jaws aresprung together and catch the animal which has caused said depression.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a baitingmeans for said traps which will most efiiciently attract the animalsthereto, may be easily applied to and removed from the trap, may bereadily procured or made and at a nominal expense, may be kept anindefinite period of time without deterioration, will not be liable tobecome detached from the trap at an inopportune time from any cause,and, in short, will overcome all the disadvantages incident to the useof the baiting means now employed in such traps.

To this end the invention consists in abaiting means for such trapscomprising a sheet or plate of bright material having lips or flangesadapted to be bent into engagement with the bait pan or treadle of thetrap, and, further, consists in a trap of the class described providedwith such baiting means.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a trap having one form of the presentbaiting meansapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail View of the baiting means shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a second form of trap provided with a baiting meansconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 4 is a detailview of the baitin means illustrated in Fig. 3 showing in full lmes theshape of'the same prior to its being bent into engagement with thebait-pan and having dotted thereon the lines upon which it is bent toengage said pan, which pan is shown in dotted outline. Fig. 5 is adetail View of another form of baiting means constructed in accordancewith this invention.

The same letters and numerals of reference designate the same parts inthe several views.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown two different well-knownforms of steel traps, which are merely selected to exemplify theadvantages and principle of operation of the present invention, it beingunderstood that this invention is not restricted to the detailconstruction of either of said traps and contemplates, broadly, in sofar as the trap is concerned, any construction thereof adapted to beused under water and embodying a bait pan or treadle which whendepressed or moved by a water-frequenting animal causes or permits thejaws to spring together, and thus catch said animal. For the reasonsstated it is not necessary to set forth the detail construction ofeither of said traps. It is sufficient to say that in each of them thereis a pair of spring-pressed aws, (designated A and B in Figs. 1 and 3,respectively,) which are held in open or set position by a means whichincludes a bait pan or treadle (designated A and B, respectively, insaid figures) and suitable latchin or other devices which engage saidjaws and prevent closing of the same when the bait pan or treadle iselevated and are released from said jaws to permit the springs to closethe latter when the bait pan or treadle is depressed. A principaldifference between the two forms of traps is in the shape of the baitpan or treadle, the one, A, in Fig. 1 being square, while the one Bshown in Fig. 3 is round. In the present invention there is applied tosaid bait pan or treadle A or B in lieu of all other bait a surface ofbright material, preferably metal, which becomes luminous and magnifiedwhen the trap is placed under water and attracts the attention ofininks, beavers, muskrats, and other fur-bearing animals which frequentthe water, and as said animals are of an exceedingly inquisitive natureit is found in practice that they seek to investigate the cause of thatwhich has attracted their attention and in doing so jump with their forefeet close together full upon the bait pan or treadle, and thusunfailingly cause the trap to be sprung and themselves to be caughtthereby.

In the practical construction of the device it is found to be veryadvantageous to form the surfacing material for the bait pan or treadleseparate from the latter and so construct it that it may be readilyapplied to and removed from the same. Therefore the accompanyingdrawings show embodiments of the invention differing slightly from eachother in details, but each characterized by the fact that it is capableof being readily applied to and removed from any ordinary bait pan ortreadle. All of the forms of baiting devices shown in the accompanyingdrawings are angular in shape and have flexible edges which may be bentto form rips or flanges to engage the edge of the bait pan or treadle.In the form of device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the baiting means comprisesan oblong plate 1, having its opposite edges bent to form approximatelyL-shaped lips or flanges 2, thus forming recesses 3, which receive theedges of the square bait pan or treadle A, and in the form shown inFigs. 3 and 4 the baiting means 4 is square and is removably secured tothe round pan or treadle B by having its corners bent to form lips orflanges 5, which inclose the peripheral edge of the bait pan or treadleat different places around the latter, while in the form shown in Fig. 5the baiting means consists of a plate 6, having its corners cut away, asshown at 7, to form outwardlyprojecting lips or flanges 8, which arebent to inclose the edge or edges of the round or square bait pan ortreadle A or B. The edges of the baiting means may be bent at the momentof the application of the same to the bait pan or treadle or priorthereto and in the manufacture of the device, whichever is preferred.

In practice it is found that bright tin forms a very satisfactorymaterial for the baiting means of the present invention, and for thisreason and because of its cheapness and availability it is preferred touse the same.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides adevice which fully accomplishes the objects hereinabove set forth andwhich because of its advantages over the present means of baiting suchtraps will readily commend itself to those trappers who are engaged inthe business of catching fur-bearing animals which frequent the water.

Having thus described the invention, what is believed to be new, anddesired to besecured by Letters Patent, is

1. A baiting means adapted to the bait pan or treadle of traps of theclass described, comprising a surfacing plate or sheet of brightmaterial and having bendable edge portions for securing it to the pan ortreadle.

2. A baiting means for the pan or treadle of a trap adapted to catchwater-frequenting animals, comprising a bright metallic surfacing-platehaving flexible edges adapted to be bent to engage the edge or edges ofsaid bait pan or treadle, substantially as described.

3. A baiting means adapted to the bait pan or treadle of a trap of theclass described comprising an angular plate formed of bright metal andhaving flexible edge portions which are adapted to be bent to form lipswhich secure said plate to said pan or treadle, substantially asdescribed.

4. A trap for water-frequenting animals comprising a pair of jaws, a panor treadle for holding said jaws in open position, said pan or treadlehaving a separately-formed surface of bright material which serves asthe bait of the trap, and means for securing said surface removably tosaid pan or treadle.

5. A trap for water-frequenting animals, comprisin a pair of jaws, and apan or treadle for ho ding said jaws in open position, said pan ortreadle having a bright surfacing material which serves as the bait ofthe trap and is provided with a flanged edge by which it is secured tosaid pan or treadle.

6. A trap of the class described, having its bait pan or treadleprovided with a surface of bright metal, said surface comprising a platehaving a bent lip or flange which engages the edge of said pan ortreadle and thereby secures said plate removably thereto, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

DANIEL RUPP.

Witnesses:

JOHN MEIsTER, G. L. REBHAUSEN.

